Hello hello!! Another week reporting from Charleroi!!!! I don't have a lot of time this week because I have to go into Brussels (for many reasons that I don't have time to explain). SO we are going to do the bullet point form!!
Alain: He is still doing really, really well. He really likes the Book of Mormon and has started reading it a bit. He came to church again this last Sunday and we're still planning on him getting baptized a week from this Saturday. WOOT WOOT!! He will get baptized the same day as an ami of the elders and also Katsia. She is the daughter of a messy divorce. The parents were both members but after the divorce, the mom then said that her daughter could not get baptized. Katsia has come to church every week. Finds a way there all by herself (rockstar 13 year old!!) and after months of the missionaries meeting with their family, her mom said that she could get baptized and in fact this last Sunday, her mom came back to church too! WOOT. So awesome. So next Saturday, there will be 3 new members of Charleroi 1!!
Speaking of less actives coming back, Soeur Puissant was there again this Sunday. We sat right next to her and she seems to be happy to be back. So my first Sunday I came to Charleroi 1, there were about 50 people in sacrament meeting. It stayed like that for a couple months until about 2 or 3 weeks ago and then there were 75! And it's been sticking! This last week we had over 75 people in sacrament meeting again. THE WORK OF THE LORD IS MOVING FORWARD!! And it's amazing to be a part of it. I feel like a little ant in this great work of the Lord. It's incredibly humbling.
Now I think I'm going to spend the rest of the time talking about one of my favorite members. Her name is Julie and I love her!! She is from the Congo but came to Belgium in about 2005. She is such a rock star. She is a single mom of three boys. She has pretty bad skin cancer right now and half of her family is still in the Congo. She has a lot of trials in her life but if you met her you would never know it. She is so full of sunshine.
A member was talking to her the other day and said "Julie it must be hard to be a single woman these days". To which she responded "I'M NOT ALONE! I have my Savior. And I have this wonderful church. So many brothers and sisters who are so good to me and even more, I have my Lord and Reedemer--my best friend". She gave the lesson this last Sunday for the class for our amis. It was on the Holy Ghost and I was floored at the amazing spiritual experiences she has had with being in tune with the Holy Ghost. She then at the end of the lesson directed a comment to our Ward Mission Leader "Frere Ypersier says that I'm full of the Sunshine of Africa. But I say NO. I'm full of the sunshine that the spirit brings". She Is INCREDIBLE.
Her attitude towards life is the perfect example of what President Hinckley wanted for each of us when he said in 2001:
"I have little doubt that many of us are troubled with fears concerning ourselves. We are in a period of stress across the world. There are occasionally hard days for each of us. Do not despair. Do not give up. Look for the sunlight through the clouds. Opportunities will eventually open to you. Do not let the prophets of gloom endanger your possibilities.
The Lord has said: “Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made” (D&C 25:13).
I believe He is saying to each of us, be happy. “The gospel is a thing of joy. It provides us with a reason for gladness. Of course there are times of sorrow. Of course there are hours of concern and anxiety. We all worry. But the Lord has told us to lift our hearts and rejoice. I see so many people … who seem never to see the sunshine, but who constantly walk with storms under cloudy skies. Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine.
We know from the scriptures that some trials are for our good and are suited for our own personal development. We also know that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. It is also true that every cloud we see doesn’t result in rain. Regardless of the challenges, trials, and hardships we endure, the reassuring doctrine of the Atonement wrought by Jesus Christ includes Alma’s teaching that the Savior would take upon Him our infirmities and “succor his people according to their infirmities.”
This Gospel really is one of Joy. Julie is such an example to everyone around her. She is amazing to teach. People see that she has lived/is living through such difficult things but she has the MOST POSITIVE outlook on life because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is contagious. It makes our amis want what she has found-the peace and joy the Gospel brings.
I love you all so much. Soeur Mangum and I the last couple days talked a lot of the things we loved about our families (with it being Valentine’s day and all) and our siblings and parents specifically. I feel so blessed to be part of each of your lives and for some of you to be counted as family.
LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY
Soeur Bitter
The Lord has said: “Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made” (D&C 25:13).
I believe He is saying to each of us, be happy. “The gospel is a thing of joy. It provides us with a reason for gladness. Of course there are times of sorrow. Of course there are hours of concern and anxiety. We all worry. But the Lord has told us to lift our hearts and rejoice. I see so many people … who seem never to see the sunshine, but who constantly walk with storms under cloudy skies. Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine.
We know from the scriptures that some trials are for our good and are suited for our own personal development. We also know that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. It is also true that every cloud we see doesn’t result in rain. Regardless of the challenges, trials, and hardships we endure, the reassuring doctrine of the Atonement wrought by Jesus Christ includes Alma’s teaching that the Savior would take upon Him our infirmities and “succor his people according to their infirmities.”
This Gospel really is one of Joy. Julie is such an example to everyone around her. She is amazing to teach. People see that she has lived/is living through such difficult things but she has the MOST POSITIVE outlook on life because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is contagious. It makes our amis want what she has found-the peace and joy the Gospel brings.
I love you all so much. Soeur Mangum and I the last couple days talked a lot of the things we loved about our families (with it being Valentine’s day and all) and our siblings and parents specifically. I feel so blessed to be part of each of your lives and for some of you to be counted as family.
LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY
Soeur Bitter
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| A Mannum Bar For Valentines Day |
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| A Valentines Replacement Suitcase From Home |
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